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Brazil and Galicia hosted an event that brought together 200 exhibitors, 25 specialist tour operators and 60 international speakers.

Termatalia, International Fair of Thermal Tourism, Health and Wellbeing, gathered in Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) more than 2500 professionals from 34 countries, 200 exhibitors, 25 international tour operators and 60 speakers. Under the slogan “The energy of the waters” and with a massive presence of companies and professionals from Latin America and Europe and also incorporating Asia-Pacific, Termatalia Brasil 2018 is the fruit of the strong commitment made by Brazilian authorities, especially the Prefeitura Municipal de Foz de Iguaçu to position this city as a destination for health tourism. They were two days of intense work after which it was also made public the presentation of candidacies to host the next edition of Termatalia in America, which will be in 2020, as odd years the fair is always held in its original venue: Ourense. Ecuador, Colombia and the Argentine province of Entre Ríos were the three candidates who wish to become Termatalia’s headquarters. The chosen venue will be announced in the next edition of the fair that will take place in Ourense in September 2019.

Considered one of the main tourist destinations in Brazil and South America, this town has the Iguaçu National Park (which it shares with Argentina), considered a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Modernity, the Falls as well as the Itaipu Binational Power Plant, the largest generator of renewable energy on the planet. Both elements this destination has grown tourism by 10% in 2018, and is committing works at its airport to receive direct flights, without stopovers, from the United States or Europe. Brazilian authorities indicate that hosting this fair is an opportunity to demonstrate the thermal potential of the Guaraní Aquifer, the largest underground freshwater reserve in the world, and to offer tourists an extra reason to visit Foz do Iguaçú: its thermal waters.

With the business and knowledge as the two main axes of Termatalia Brasil during the fair, the presentations and the different professional actions took place: professional meetings between tour operators, importers of capital goods, suppliers and exhibitors, as well as the Tourist Contracting Exchange that counted with 25 tour operators and travel wholesalers from 12 countries.

Training and healthy area

In addition, the XIII International Meeting on Water and Health was held within the scientific program, without forgetting the specialized courses programmed on medical hydrology or hydrosumiller courses. The fair also had a Healthy Eating area, a space dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyle habits with special attention to food and in which visitors could learn about the benefits of healthy cooking through live cooking showcookings given by five prestigious international chefs from Brazil, Spain, Panama and Costa Rica.